Match-box.



J. HURTIG & E. A. ERICSSON.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19. 1914.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

WI T NESSE S:

INVENTORS JbsEF Hun r/a 59111557 4. ffllcssan/ A T TORNE Y5 NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C

JOSEF HUB'IIG AND ERNEST A. ERICSSON, OF WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed January 19, 1914. Serial No. 812,868.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Josnr HURTIG and Enxns'r A. ERICSSON, subjects of the King of Sweden, and residents of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a compact match box of simple construction from which matches may be Withdrawn one by one without manipulating the box or cover, when the box is properly held or'positioned a match being always in position to be grasped but securely held until actually pulled out.

A further object is to so construct the box that the matches are precluded from passing endwise to the outlet, each match being necessarily disposed lengthwise or longitudinally of the outlet before it can be removed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved box. Fig. 2 is an edge view, and Fig. 3 an end elevation of the same. Fig. 41 is a cross-section on line 4& of Fig. 1. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are, respectively, a side elevation, edge view, and end view of a box of modified form.

Referring to the drawings, the box consists primarily of the opposite longitudinal side walls 1 and 2, which for convenience of description will be termed the back and front walls, respectively, which are joined at the top by the rounded longitudinal edge 3, said walls being preferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal bent to the required shape. The ends of the box may be closed by the flanged caps a and 5, the former fixed to the box shell, while cap 5 may be removable for inserting the matches.

The bottom edge portion of the boxthe part from which the matches are dischargedwhile maintaining the length of the remainder of the box is contracted transversely to form the relatively narrow edge 6. This edge is partially cut away between the ends of the box to provide the finger opening 7. Edge 6 at one side of said space is solid or unsplit and supports the headed end of the match M to be discharged, a portion of the length of the latter being exposed through opening 7 and the remainder thereof resting between lips 8 and 9 formed at the opposite side of said opening by splitting that portion of edge 6, as indicated at 10. Lip 9 is preferably secured to the flange of cap 4:, while the other or front lip 8 is free to spring outward due to the cut-away portion 4: of the cap flange. Normally, split 10 is too narrow or contracted to pass the match stick, but lip 8 is adapted to spring upon pulling outward on the exposed match, thereby releasing one end, when the headed end may be withdrawn through opening 7 The uninterrupted or unsplit portion 6 of edge 6 provides an unyielding support for the lowermost match so that the latter can be removed only by the manipulation described. Also, the box shell is stouter and more durable than it would be if edge 6' were split its entire length.

It is characteristic of the invention that the matches are disposed longitudinally of the box and are in this position when presented for discharge, it being impossible for them to pass endwise to the discharge slot. This is attained in the adaptation of Figs. 1 to 4% by providing the longitudinal. ledge 11 within the box which may be secured to back wall 1. This ledge defines one side of passage 12 leading to the outlet in contracted edge 6, and the walls of the passage 12 are so deflected or offset as to locate the outlet slot laterally from the inlet or upper end of passage 12. The result is that if the matches are turned crosswise in the box and their ends presented to passage 12, they cannot pass through. Ledge 11 does not extend clear to end cap 5, thereby leaving a space 11 which is wider than passage 12 for the headed ends of the matches so that the latter assemble more evenly in said passage than they would if this additional space were not provided for the heads.

In the adaptation shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the abutment above referred to is omitted, and the narrowed or contracted passage 12 leading to the outlet slot is not laterally offset, the contracted passage in this adaptation being formed by insetting the back and front Walls 1 and 2, as shown. This form of box is designed primarily for relatively small matches of the safety variety commonly known as Swedish matches, and to prevent them from moving to the discharge slot end first the box is made of such width between its longitudinal edges 3 and 6 as to render it impossible for the matches to turn sufficiently to present their ends to the slot. In this connection also it is necessary to restrict the length of the box to approximately the length of the matches, but of course this precaution would be taken in any event as it is desirable to have the box as compact as possible.

As will be seen, the general construction of the box is such that the heads of the matches are protected against pressures or friction such as would provide for an ignition thereof during the withdrawal movement, and at the sametime the arrangement is such that it is substantially impossible for a match to be removed accidentally, it requiring both sidewise and endwise movements of the match stem to permit removal of the match, the particular structure providing for an initial canting of the stem to withdraw one end through the lip structure a distance sufiicient to pass the end free from the restraint of the end cap 4, after which the match may be Withdrawn en'dwise, the head passing through the finger opening 7 when this point is reached. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the deflection provided by the member 11 is limited so as to permit of this canting action and, yet provide for the segregating action referred to.

.Match boxes embodying the invention are designed primarily for pocket use. Ordinarily a match is always in position to be withdrawn, but it not, it is only necessary to shake the box to properly place a match on the contracted edge 6 and exposed in finger opening 7.

We claim: a

1. A match box comprising a casing having a split longitudinal edge with the split adapted to expand for the sidewise passage of matches one by one, the length of the split edge being limited to prevent passage of matches other than by canting the match during the withdrawing movement, the interior of the box formed with a relatively narrow passage which extends longitudinally of the box with one longitudinal side of the passage open to the spilt edge of the box and its opposite longitudinal side open to the match-holding portion of the box, the passage being deflected transversely of the box and thereby placing its slotted discharge opening out of line with the remainder of the box and preventing removal of any match that is not disposed longitudinally within the discharge passage, the deflection being limited to permit the match-canting action. V

2. A match box having its match-holding cavity formed with a transversely narrowed passage leading to its bottom edge and with said edge split longitudinally for the sidewise movement of matches therethrough, the length of the split edge being limited to prevent passage of matches other than by canting the match during the withdrawing movement, said passage being disposed longitudinally of the box and deflected laterally above the split match discharging edge of the box whereby matches arranged within the passage other than longitudinally thereof are prevented from reaching the split edge, the deflection. being" limited to permit the match-canting action.

3. A match box comprising a casing having a chamber for confining aplurality of matches lengthwise thereof between the casing ends, an inwardly projecting abutment extending longitudinally of one side of the casing interior and stopping short of one end of the casing for the purpose described,

the casing formed with an outlet passage leading from the chamber around said abutment with the head portion of the matches extending beyond the abutment and in uninterrupted communication with the passage, said casing having an edge split to .forma terminal for said outlet passage, the length of the split portion being limited to prevent discharge ofv matches other than by canting the match during the withdrawing movement, the outlet for the match head being of sufiicient size to permit withdrawal without liability of ignition. V

45. A match box comprising a casing formed with a match confining chamber having opposite side walls and opposite end walls-one end wall being flanged to overlap the sidewalls, the casing being contracted adjacent a longitudinal edge thereof with said edge formed with a finger opening and with saidedge split longitudinally at one side of the opening, a portion of the end wall flange being removed to permit lateral deflection at the split of a portion of one of the sides of the contracted casing part to permit the withdrawal of matches, the length of the split edge being limited to prevent passage of matchesother than by canting the match during'the withdrawing movement.

5. A match box comprising a casing having a match-holding chamber, a portion of one side wall of the casing being contracted toward the opposite wall to provide the casing with a relatively shallow edge, said edge being recessed to provide a finger opening and with a. longitudinal split in the portion of th'e shallow edge at one side of the finger opening, the length of the split edge being limited to prevent passage of matches other than by canting the match during the withdrawing movement, and a longitudinal abutment with the chamber adjacent its shallow portion, the abutment extending longitudinally of the casing and stoppingshort of one end thereof to leave space for the passage of match heads, the casing having a channel extending from the abutment to the finger opening and split edge through Which the matches are adapted to move side- Wise.

6. A match boX comprising a casing approximating the length of the match, said casing having a longitudinal edge split to afford a yieldable outlet to permit Withdrawal of the matches one by one, the length of said split portion being limited to prevent passage of the matches therethrough other than by canting the match during the Withdrawing movement, the ends of the casing preventing endWise movement in advance of the canting action, whereby the matches are substantially free from accidental discharge.

In testimony whereof We aifix our signatures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOSEF HURTIG. ERNEST A. ERICSSON.

Witnesses:

J. M. NESBIT, F. E. GAITHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

